CESSNOCK will fight for Newcastle Rugby League finals survival without the services of captain-coach Harry Siejka while Macquarie are going to be minus centre Callan Briggs.
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Siejka and Briggs, facing separate charges, both took early guilty pleas this week and copped one-game suspensions on the eve of the 2022 play-offs.
They opted not to contest last-round incidents at the judiciary while Maitland forward Pat Mata'utia, who could sidelined for the rest of the season, chose to front the panel on Wednesday night.
Siejka made contact with a touch judge, which was labelled as contract conduct by the match review committee, during Cessnock's 12-8 loss to Maitland while Briggs got put on report for a shoulder charge in Macquarie's 30-8 win over Lakes.
Cessnock host Souths in Sunday's elimination semi-final while Macquarie are away to Central in Saturday's qualifying semi-final. Minor premiers Maitland have the weekend off.
Elsewhere, Kurri's Lachlan Hill (two weeks - dangerous throw) and Wests' Frazer Price (one week, striking) also took early guilty pleas.
NSW Rugby League confirmed all the punishments on Wednesday.
* NEWCASTLE RL officials have gone for a slightly earlier kick-off time in first grade with both semis set to start at 2pm, one hour ahead of the traditional slot.
* ALBEIT narrowly, Wyong won the battle of the Central Coast clubs after jumping The Entrance on the Newcastle RL ladder in the last round. The Roos beat Wests 38-34 to finish on 16 competition points, one ahead of the Tigers (15) who went down 26-6 to Central.
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Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
